The Strongest There Is
by x-Usagi-chan-x
Summary: Nutmeg watches her son Rusty and tells him he is strong. Little did she know the true future that was held for him... Little drabble about Rusty and his mother, Nutmeg. Rated K.


**Little drabble on Rusty and his mother, Nutmeg. Got inspired by this: .com/gallery/31513190#/d4bp9p6  
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**So yeah, I guess you could say credit for idea (AND for quote) goes to AnnMY and her wonderful picture. She makes amazing art, btw~! (:  
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* * *

><p>"Look, mum, look at me!"<p>

Rusty mewed as he crouched, bunching his little muscles. Then he leaped as high as he could, pushing off with his short, stubby hind legs, and only barely made it to the top of the countertop, scrabbling at the smooth, shiny surface for a heartbeat. He recovered quickly and peered at his mother Nutmeg from over the edge with bright green eyes, unfazed by his struggle.

"Did you see that? Did you see how high I jumped? I jumped so high, didn't I?"

Nutmeg craned her neck to look at her son. Her heart had skipped a beat when she had seen him scrabble for dear life, but she didn't scold him now this time for scaring her like that.

Instead, she only purred. "Yes, my love. You jumped very high."

* * *

><p>"Look, look! Look at me, mum! Look at how I'm crouching!"<p>

Nutmeg watched as Rusty crouched, lowering his small head just so it barely brushed the fresh-cut grass, tail standing out straight so it didn't drag through the ground, with paws tucked in, but not to close as to lose balance. Waggling his rump, he sprang and pounced on a leaf his eyes had been focused on in front of him, barely missing it with his paws. He clutched it now, his tiny claws sliding out so that they pricked the thin skin. He looked up expectantly from his catch with glowing eyes.

"I caught it! Look! Mum, you're not looking!"

"I'm looking, darling," she told him from where she sat. "That was very impressive. You look like a natural born hunter!"

Rusty bounced up and exclaimed, "Really? I do?" Her tail flicked with amusement when she saw that the leaf was still caught in his claws.

"Of course you do. The mice won't see you coming, my little hunter."

* * *

><p>"Hey! Hey, mum! Mum, look at me, look at me! I'm so high up!"<p>

Nutmeg padded into the room, eyes growing wide when she did not see him anywhere. Frantically, her head swung from side to side, searching for her son.

"Rusty, my son, where are you?"

"Up here! Look!"

She looked up, and she gasped when she saw Rusty dangling almost a fox-length above her from the flower print curtains, his claws digging into the fabric. His legs were spread out, making him awkwardly hang on and craned his neck to look at his shocked mother.

"Look, I'm climbing! I'm climbing!" He purred with satisfaction.

"Rusty!" she exclaimed. "Get down from there this instant!"

Rusty jumped down from his perch and meekly padded up to her slowly, his head low.

"What do you think you were doing?" she scolded him. "You frightened me. I thought you were going to fall! And what will our owners think if they see those claw marks? You know they get quite angry."

"I'm sorry, mum…"

She licked his cheek. "Ah, but you're right. You climb very well."

* * *

><p>Rusty bent down low, his tail flicking back and forth.<p>

Nutmeg followed his sharp gaze. She stifled a purr when she saw that his eyes were resting on his sister's tail. Princess had her back to him, and her tail moved back and forth, like a snake. She knew very well that he was thinking exactly that. His eyes flicked towards his mother, either signaling her to be quiet or to make sure she was watching him. Or both.

He was light on his paws and they made not a sound as he slithered forward slowly. He sniffed, as if making sure he was downwind. His eyes were so intent on her tail, flicking towards the direction it flicked, that Nutmeg couldn't help but break out into a purr on seeing how serious her son's face was. He shot her a glance and she immediately cut it off.

Quick as a mouse, he shot forward and pounced. His teeth met Princess's tail, causing her to screech and spin around and give her brother a hard stare. "Hey!"

Rusty ignored her and bounded up to his mother. "Mum, did you see that? Did you see that? Did you? She didn't notice me one bit! Aren't I so sneaky?"

"Of course you are, Rusty," she murmured, pushing her muzzle against his. "You are my little Rusty, after all."

* * *

><p>"Watch out! Attack!"<p>

A cry came from behind Nutmeg and she felt a sudden weight drop down on her back and she felt claws pricking her fur like tiny thorns, but not enough to hurt. She turned her head to see little Rusty dangling and trying to hold on to her pelt, pretending to bite her neck.

"_Rrrr_, _rrrr_!" He hissed, his tiny paws batting her head lightly.

Eyes flickering with amusement, she slumped down on her side. "Oh, you defeated me! You won!"

"That was _too_ easy!" he crooned. He slid off her pelt and stood over her head. "Now get off my territory, you pesky mange-pelt!"

"Calling your mother a mange-pelt, eh? Cheeky kit." But she was purring loudly as she said this, getting up giving his ear a light cuff.

He looked up at her with bright, glowing green eyes. "But did you see that, mum? I was fighting you! I was protecting my territory. You saw that, right?"

"Of course I did, love."

"I was so brave! I even fought a big cat like you! Right? Wasn't that so brave of me? Aren't I brave?"

"Yes, Rusty," she told him softly, nuzzling him. "You are my brave little warrior."

* * *

><p>"Let's go to sleep now, darlings," Nutmeg told her kits as she herded them to their soft-pelted nest. "There is another long day of play tomorrow."<p>

Rusty padded into the nest. His other littermates mewled complaints as he stepped on their tails or squishy bellies accidently as he picked his way through the very center where his mother's belly was, where it was warmest. His tiny jaws opened wide for a yawn, and she could see two rows of short but sharp teeth. He curled up against her, his orange head resting on her pelt.

After a moments' silence, and in this silence his other siblings fell asleep quietly, he murmured sleepily, "Mum?"

"Yes, Rusty?"

"Mum, aren't I strong?"

Her throat rumbled into yet another purr as she watched his eyes, those green eyes that were constantly open and watching the world, slowly sink down into sleep. His flame-colored pelt rose and fell in a slow, calming rhythm.

She licked the fur between his ears.

"Yes, my little fireball. You will be the strongest there is."


End file.
